Synopsis
In the shrewd, comical spirit of Peter Mayle and Bill Bryson, Derek Lambert discovers the charms and idiosyncrasies of Spain as he experiences the rewards and frustrations of beginning a new life there.
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Review
Anyone yearning for a house in the country--another country--will be reassured it can be done with Derek Lambert's engaging tale of his new life in Spain. Reassured, yet likely unconvinced that a rundown property with no running water, access or much of a roof is anybody's idea of a holiday home. That's just the point of Lambert's book: his goal was a life, not a get-away. "In the fading light, the house looked more apologetic than prepossessing. And yet it beckoned as though it contained small mysteries that might one day become familiar to us", he says as he scrambles over a stone fence to peer into the window of the house in a remote region of Andalusia. Indeed, the mysteries of plumbing, builders and a river with no bridge--and how one pays for such things--unfold slowly and then pick up speed and character as the story progresses.
This book has more of a sense of plot than many of this genre, leading to the decision whether to stay or leave, one familiar to anyone who has decided to live abroad. Lambert does not have the writing style that Frances Mayes brings to Under the Tuscan Sun nor the consistent humour of his Andalusia neighbour Chris Stewart in Driving over Lemons. However, he offers an important sense that he and his family are willing parties to the plot he weaves. That combined with Spanish lessons on the building trades and the ability to shear sheep makes Lambert's book a pleasant guide for setting up not just a house, but a home, in rural Spain. --Kathleen Buckley
Review
"An entertaining read in the vein of Mayle or Bryson... truly gripping" (The Times)
"A great insight into his first year on the Costa Blanca and the traumas that crop up" (The Mirror)
"The comic, anecdotal style of Peter Mayle with the shrewd observation of Bill Bryson...just the thing to take on holiday" (The Lady)
"Delightful" (Mail on Sunday)
"At last a cracking good book by a foreigner who went native in Spain! There are a million homes owned by foreigners in Spain and Spanish Lessons should be in every one" (Lookout)
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Spanish Lessons: How one family found their place in the sun: Beginning a New Life in Spain
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Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Spanish Lessons: How one family found their place in the sun: Beginning a New Life in Spain This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 7719-9780091878368
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Paperback. Condition: Used; Good. Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. This book is in good condition but will show signs of previous ownership. Please expect some creasing to the spine and/or minor damage to the cover. Damaged cover. The cover of is slightly damaged for instance a torn or bent corner. Grubby book may have mild dirt or some staining, mostly on the edges of pages. Seller Inventory # CHL10434758
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Spanish Lessons: How one family found their place in the sun: Beginning a New Life in Spain
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Paperback. Condition: Very Good. This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 6545-9780091878368
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Spanish Lessons: Beginning a New Life in Spain
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Spanish Lessons: How one family found their place in the sun: Beginning a New Life in Spain
Published by
Ebury Press, 2000-08-03, 2000
ISBN 10: 0091878365
ISBN 13: 9780091878368
Used
Softcover
Seller: biblion2, Obersulm, Germany
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Very Good. Zustandsangabe altersgemäß. Sofortversand aus Deutschland. Buch wiegt maximal 500g. Vorsatz beschriftet. 258 Seiten. In englischer Sprache. Einband mit leichten Gebrauchsspuren sowie leicht verfärbt. Buchblock gebrochen. Seller Inventory # 5108868 wi
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Spanish Lessons : Beginning a New Life in Spain
Published by
Ebury Press, London, 2000
ISBN 10: 0091878365
ISBN 13: 9780091878368
Used
Trade Paperback
First Edition
Seller: Dromanabooks, Newstead, VIC, Australia
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Trade Paperback. Condition: Very Good. First Edition. Yellowed paper; 258 p. Thriller writer Derek Lambert decides to settle in Spain and has his house renovated while attemptng to write a novel based in Siberia. Humorous acount of adjusting to local conditions, learning Spanish and getting along with the locals. A little like Peter Mayle's Provence titles. No crease to spine. 400gms weight; 8vo. Seller Inventory # 29448
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Spanish Lessons : Beginning a New Life in Spain
Seller: Manyhills Books, Traralgon, VIC, Australia
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Trade Paperback. Condition: Good. Trade Paperback. 258 pages. *** PUBLISHING DETAILS: Hutchinson, UK, 2000. *** CONDITION: This book is in good condition. More specifically: Covers have light creasing and superficial rubbing/wear. Corners of covers are lightly bumped. Spine is uncreased. . Pages are lightly tanned. *** ABOUT THIS BOOK: In the shrewd, comical spirit of Peter Mayle and Bill Bryson, Derek Lambert discovers the charms and idiosyncrasies of Spain as he experiences the rewards and frustrations of beginning a new life there. *** Quantity Available: 1. Category: Travel & Places; ISBN: 0091878365. ISBN/EAN: 9780091878368. Inventory No: 16060171. Seller Inventory # 16060171